title: Statins in heart failure: do we need another trial?
abstract: Statins lower serum cholesterol and are employed for primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular events. Clinical evidence from observational studies, retrospective data, and post hoc analyses of data from large statin trials in various cardiovascular conditions, as well as small scale randomized trials, suggest survival and other outcome benefits for heart failure. Two recent large randomized controlled trials, however, appear to suggest statins do not have beneficial effects in heart failure. In addition to lowering cholesterol, statins are believed to have many pleotropic effects which could possibly influence the pathophysiology of heart failure. Following the two large trials, evidence from recent studies appears to support the use of statins in heart failure. This review discusses the role of statins in the pathophysiology of heart failure, current evidence for statin use in heart failure, and suggests directions for future research.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Sunway Campus, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Kwadwo Osei
authors.initials: KO
authors.lastname: Bonsu
authors.forename: Amudha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kadirvelu
authors.forename: Daniel Diamond
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Reidpath
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors
keywords: comorbidity; heart failure; mortality; statins; treatment